You don’t need me to explain that he summer so far has been something of a washout! Unlike the run up to the previous ODE where we ran very successfully despite 15mm of rain overnight, this time the rain had been persistent over the preceding few days to the pint where the ground had become waterlogged. Any niggling doubts that we ‘might have been OK’ were dispelled when I went round with Mike Robbins and Stuart Fellingham to de-flag the course. All the fields had standing water on them and the water splash had almost been subsumed into the lake. Anyone whose mount didn’t like water would not have found an alternative route!
John Bedford assisted by Stuart have worked tirelessly to re-arrange the course. It had become clear that it would not be possible to safely incorporate the wooded section and the portable jumps had been moved elsewhere (once again justifying their being portable)! A lorry load of stone has been laid on the softest portion of the track but we were unable to roll it in as the ground was too wet for the roller to propel itself to the required spot. This work is not wasted – the course is being improved and hopefully ‘normal’ weather will resume.
The events committee will be looking at holding replacement events later in the summer or early autumn. Lets hope we have an ‘Indian summer’ to boost the branch as well as provide some growth to the UK economy!
Our next event will be the Turton Open Hunter Trials on August bank holiday Monday (jet steam permitting)!
Mike